The European Portable Battery Association (EPBA) has organised a campaign in the European Parliament in Strasbourg to raise awareness about portable battery collection and recycling

With the support of MEP Gilles Pargneaux (S&D) and together with EUCOBAT (the European association of national collection schemes for batteries), Corepile and Screlec (both French take-back schemes), the one-day campaign aimed at highlighting the challenges in reaching the 45% collection target set by the Batteries Directive 2006/66/EC.

Based on the 2017 data[1], only 18 out of the 28 EU Member States have reached or exceeded the 45% collection target. The current calculation methodology which is based on three-year average sales does not reflect the reality of the portable battery market.

EPBA advocates for a collection target that is based on what is available for collection, taking into account the batteries that are exported outside the EU either in appliances (EEE) or in electronic waste (WEEE).

“The current calculation methodology has hampered the achievement of the Directive’s 45% collection target for waste portable batteries in Europe. This is a message that EPBA will continue insisting on during the revision process of the Batteries Directive,” stated Hans Craen, EPBA’s Secretary General.